KessG training log (novice female)

[kessg]

Your squat triples on Sunday looked great! It helps to have Tom C there, I'm sure.

Interestingly, you light day squats on Thursday looked a little sloppy, with a bit of knee slide. Sunday's were just solid. I'm envious of your form.

Re: Sundays - yes, it's great to lift with a coach and with a strong bunch of people!

Hmm, I see what you mean about the Thurs squats. I did a heavy-ish single (169 lb) ahead of my work sets (152 lb); I wonder if the single messed with with my regular sets. I'd doing singles to test out my second attempt for the meet in May - I'll drop them once the meet is done.

I agree. The squats on Sunday were excellent. Great DLs too!

Thanks, Oldman! Squats are my star lift at the moment :-)

[kessg]

Training log for the week ending April 12

Solid training week – new rep PRs on squat (3s), press (3s) and bench (5s). I also set new single PR on squat (171.5 lb) and upped my chin RM by 1 – now at 7 reps.

Squats are progressing nicely, with a new triple PR @ 165 lb (10 lb more than I achieved a year ago at the same time). I used to do a long HIIT session (12 intervals) on Sat; instead I’m doing shorter ones – 6 intervals – 4-5 times a week, in an effort to encourage fat loss. As a side effect, the absence of Sat HIIT seems to help making me ‘fresher’ for the heavy day on Sunday. That said, I had a first miss on my squats – missed last rep on my last set of triples on Sunday. I’ve not done my light squats (5s) so I wonder if that’s a reason, or it was just an off day.

Presses have been getting hard – my last rep @ 71.5 was the longest ever. I tried 5s on Thursday, but went too heavy (67.5 vs my last completed 5 @ 66.5) and missed. Got a double @ 74 lb, but my right arm might have been going down before correcting, so it probably would not have counted. But I did get a new triple PR @ 71.5. I may re-try 5s or just stick with triples leading up to the meet.

Deadlift continues to confound me – the coach commented that my shins were too vertical on my heavy work set. I had also just noticed that I tend to pull the bar towards me during setup. No wonder I cannot properly extend my knees. But I got 4 @ 190 lb, 1 rep more vs triple at 187.5 lb last week. That was a first rep PR this year. I may reset deadlifts after the meet to work on form. I’m using hook grip and it’s been helping with the grip for sure.

124 total chin-ups for the week, mostly in sets of 4 and 5s. Got to 7 reps on the chin-ups – a PR.

• Tue – light day: Press, DL assistance, Bench assistance, Chin-ups
• Thurs – medium day: Squat; Press; DL
• Friday – Press (make-up day); Chin-ups
• Sunday – Squat; Press; DL, Bench, Chin-ups

Squat

• Thurs
  - 1 @ 171.5 - **PR** (my colleague in the background was very impressed) - https://youtu.be/703qFGeRAss
  - 2X3 @ 154 - https://youtu.be/zGqXM6_BogE
• Sun
  - 3X3 @ 165 - *Rep PR* - https://youtu.be/K3toxSZb6eU
  - 1X2, f @ 163.5 – First squat fail since restarting lifting, I was surprised: https://youtu.be/oJYLytmDEKE

Press

• Tue: 5X8 @ 54
• Thurs:
  - 4, f @ 67.5
  - 2, 1 @ 74
• Friday: 5X6 @ 61 lb
• Sun:
  - 2X3 @ 71.5 – Coach said that I was still starting with the bar too far out, it needs to be closer to my neck: https://youtu.be/LTXou67vuIM
  - 3X3 @ 70.5 – Corrected here, and seem to get a better bounce: https://youtu.be/cgsWtuDAf6k

DL

• Tue: 3X8 @ 95
• Thurs: 5, 1, 1 @ 154 - I was practicing hook grip, and did not have chalk. The hook grip was hitting my caluses differently, so only managed 2 singles after a set of 5: https://youtu.be/_LzeP9NUJaw
• Sun: 4 @ 190 – *Rep PR* - Form questionable - https://youtu.be/3Jnh5290VjI ; Here’s my last warm-up @ 165, I can see that I pull the bar towards me at setup: https://youtu.be/t8rumjNVK5o

Bench:

• Sun: 3X5 @ 102 - *Rep PR* - https://youtu.be/5Qde81RO5a0

Assistance

• Bench: 5X8 @ 85
• LTE: 3X10 @ 41 - *PR*
• Halo: 3X12x2 @ 25

[Oldman]

Great week of work, with a nice assortment of PRs! I thought that the DLs at 190 looked very solid!

[kessg]

Great week of work, with a nice assortment of PRs! I thought that the DLs at 190 looked very solid!

Thanks, OM. DL is always work in progress.


At least it's going up.

[bluebutton]

PRs rock! Way to go!

[kessg]

Congrats on the recent PR parade!

PRs rock! Way to go!

Thanks you both! I've not had a chance to update my log, but here's a fresh crop of 1RM PRs from last week:

• DL - 205 lb: https://youtu.be/-XBjPtPM9OU
  
• Press - 77 lb: https://youtu.be/7NRs6JJk13s
  
• Squat - 173.5 lb: https://youtu.be/XHwv10KydaU

[Viola]

onwards and upwards! That squat was paused - and the deadlift looked awesome - no back rounding at all. You have more in you on those.

[randomnav]

Looking great! How long until the meet?

[Gwyn Brookes]

Nice PRs! Great progress on the deadlift.

[kessg]

Nice PRs! Great progress on the deadlift.

onwards and upwards! That squat was paused - and the deadlift looked awesome - no back rounding at all. You have more in you on those.

Thank you both! Hook grip has definitely improved my deadlift form, now that I'm not worried about the bar slipping out of my hands. But hook grip is difficult/painful for a heavy set of 5, so I'll continue with triples for now.

Looking great! How long until the meet?

The meet is May 3. Lots of Starting Strength people will be there, so should be fun.